Archive for October, 2011

Start your journey down the red carpet with us as we Introduce the IMAGE webinars first ever episode of Video editing…Video Editing 101 – Movie Magic!

We are really excited that our new virtual tour system will support full motion video. Yes, the silver screen is coming to RTV. In preparation for the new tour system we wanted to help you get started with video by teaching you some of the basics of editing and producing a video.

In this episode of the IMAGE we will go over these basic steps to produce a video: creating a video project, importing your media, basic editing, adding audio, and producing the final video clip.

We will be using the Adobe Premiere Elements 10 Video software for our editing purposes. We chose this software because of its low price, ease of use, and its powerful editing features. This software is compatible with both PC’s and Mac’s making it a universal solution for all.

53% of buyers are more likely to spend time looking at a listing if a floor plan was included

80% of buyers think floor plans are essential before looking at a property

Over the last two years we’ve looked at many floor plan technologies as a group. Many of you have adopted these technologies into your property marketing company and others have passed up floor plans simply because they take too long to create.

The new RTV Virtual Tour System coming online soon will accept a fully integrated floor plan and we thought it would be a good idea to showcase some of the latest floor plan capture technology to really give your virtual tour business a BOOST in 2012.

Enter MagicPlan, the first iPhone / Android “Scan & Plan” app based floor plan solution that’s truly a time saver like never before. Using MagicPlan is as simple as taking a picture with your phone. Watch this video and see how easy this is: http://youtu.be/Px9QTgr8fRY and here’s the results:http://ec.sensopia.com/1919854

Please join myself and Jacques Gaubil on Tuesday, November 8th at 7:00 Eastern time while we discuss how this program works, why you might consider trying it out and of course a special discount given to RTV providers who sign up for MagicPlan. We hope to see you there RTV!

With the technological advances in a highly competitive real estate industry, everyone involved must embrace the effects of 360 virtual tours in this field. The fact of the matter is that virtual tours are replacing the traditional way of house buying; still there are some who do not agree with the idea. Others might would opt for the older ways of buying a house, since its the way that are used to and the only process they have ever known. Now more than ever, virtual tours have become more popular and extensively used in real estate in order to become highly competitive among others.Here are just a few of the benefits of a Virtual Tour:

Virtual Tour Benefits For Home Buyers:

Consumers who use the internet, prefer virtual tours for home buying because it saves a lot of time.

They have an instant preview of the properties.

Saves gas, energy and money specially when looking for homes out of town.

An interested individual will be able to get family and friends opinion of the property he/she wants to buy.

The most convenient way of buying a home where the buyer can investigate the house from anywhere with internet access.

Virtual Tour Benefits For Realtors:

Adds a “wow” factor to the property promotion.

Attracts new potential buyer/clients.

Increases the chances of selling the property in lesser time.

Helps to sell properties quickly and easily

Virtual tours allow realtors to focus on more productive appointments while still promoting the products online.

Generally, with its availability and accessibility, the internet has become the most valuable tool and for the majority of consumers when it comes to product searching. The tight competition in the housing market nowadays demands the seller to create an impression that would catch every possible buyer’s attention. Using virtual tours on any specific website will be attract more visitors than a competitor’s site that only make use of still pictures. A presentable promotion with sufficient content and information about the property, keeps the visitors staying on the site and draws more curiosity and interest, thus, increasing the potential sell to a buyer.

Virtual tours have not only made it beneficial to, but most of all an essential factor for property marketing. It’s like having a 24/7 open house online, allowing more home buyers to view properties for sale without the presence of the realtor to present the property, a win win scenario for all!

This client Cook and Cook is a real estate agency in Hollis NH. We have been doing virtual tours for this firm for over 1 year.She contacted us for some of our “Secret Weapon” pictures for this publication to use in featuring one of her listing on the front cover . We sent the publication several shots we took on the home and they picked the kitchen shot. The agents pay the publication to put the listing in and they run 6 times a year.

Here is the link for the virtual tour. http://rtvpix.com/RE-6225-3LCAWA-01?h=500&w=700
I’m starting to use the secret weapon more and more for higher end shots in our 360 tours and am going to try a couple of Spins next. I have featured a 5 pack added to a shoot at $35.00 extra and it is going over very well.

Its a building block approach to the new higher end service we are providing. for only Penny’s a picture it is well worth it to get in the market and stand out from the completion. My agents are starting to use the shots in the mls pictures too. I had several agents at a RE boards show last week ask if some of the pictures they were looking at were ours because our new imaging process stand out so well!

Thanks RTV. Keep up the hard work and I’ll see you next year at the show in TC!

On October 23, 2006 Island Digital Images, LLC published our first real estate virtual tour. It’s hard to believe that it has been five years since that first publication and subsequent sale of that home. During our five-year history we have always striven to provide you with cutting edge marketing vehicles including single property search friendly web sites, Text Marketing, Media Exposure Engine, Sign Banners, Mobile Web Sites, Full Screen Virtual Tours, Weekly Virtual Tour Hit Reports, High Definition Virtual Tours, QR Codes, and most recently the incredible Platinum real estate photography option.

During the summer of 2006 we invested three months looking at the various virtual tour techniques and software options prior to deciding to partner with RTV. That early foundational decision was the right decision for you our customers as it has helped facilitate many of the benefits that we have at our disposal today. We meet in person with RTV each year and help formulate the product development road map that they follow.

We look closely at our competition both on a local and national level. This helps us continue to stay out front in providing increasing value to our clients. We are amazed as competitors come and go and tout this technology or that technology or up-time that simply is dwarfed by our product offering and 100% up time.

As we look forward to our next five years we will continue to enhance our digital property-marketing portfolio by offering our clients the best technology has to offer.

As part of our five-year anniversary celebration we are offering our clients an upgrade from any of our virtual tours to our corresponding Platinum HD9 virtual tour at no additional charge, this is a fifty dollar value. Simply mention this Platinum HD9 upgrade when booking your appointment. This offer is limited to just one upgrade per client and the offering expires November 30th.

Thank you for your support as a client of Island Digital Images, LLC and we look forwarded to working with you over the next five years.